Atlanta vs. Charlotte (Villa Rica: suburbs, rated, transit)

[urbancharlotte]

In all fairness to Atlanta, you guys were ahead of the game in the 70s with MARTA. Charlotte should have built light rail back in the early 90s instead of a first line in 2007. We have already ordered 4 more train cars due to higher than expected ridership. The station platforms are too short also. We really needed platforms capable of three car trains and not two. MARTA runs four car trains and six during special events and heavy commuting hours. I will say that I always find a seat when I ride MARTA. In Charlotte, I usually stand. We need larger trains.

The next line in Charlotte will have a "GA 400" like feel to it. The trains will run in the median of North Tryon Street. This line will support 3 car trains. It will also have a station on UNC Charlotte's campus.

There are lots of develpments going on in Charlotte within the next 5 to 10 years. This is why I said that Charlotte will be in Atlanta's league within 20 years. Charlotte is making some quick moves right now. Population wise, Atlanta will remain larger.

I think the "A" is just not used to competition from within its own region. All I can say is get used to it. Charlotte is not trying to stop anytime soon!!! This city wants to be "World Class" and that is the unofficial goal here in Charlotte. You guys don't seem to understand that. The same vision Atlanta has, Charlotte has too!!! Atlanta is just 20 to 30 years ahead of the game. Nothing more, nothing less.

It has been said by our city council that the goal is to get 100,000 residents living in uptown by 2030. Downtown Atlanta is currently about 35,000 strong. Charlotte is reaching for things that Atlanta doesn't even have yet. With Charlotte's current mentality, it will catch Atlanta in status only, not size.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by Crazy Virgo Child

Whatever makes you happy dude! I don’t necessarily agree with this, but some inner city folk don’t look to kindly on people from places like Newnan saying they are from Atlanta, when I was younger we used to say “if you aint from a zone, then you aint from my home” which means if your not from one of the APD police zones i.e. Zone 1-6, then your not from Atlanta. Just like how Jersey City, NJ is considered on paper to be apart of the NYC metro, but if you ask someone from Jersey City if they are from NYC they will look at you like you are crazy. You can say you live in Atlanta, and the MSA can say you live in the “Atlanta region”, but this ATLANTA boy from Atlanta (Zone 2 to be exact) does not think you live in Atlanta, I say you live in GEORGIA!!!

But, Atlanta developed kind of differently from many other metros. The Atlanta+Hinterland as being all "Atlanta" is somewhat unique...and great!

Chicago also works in this way (Chicagoland anyone?).

In some ways, Atlanta is like a modern-day city-state.

I think it would actually hurt Atlanta if we started saying..."oh, no...that ain't Atlanta."

[urbancharlotte]

Originally Posted by matt8325

Why has funding been more of a problem in Atlanta than Charlotte ?

Here are two links that answers your question

Charlotte transit plans leave Atlanta in slow lane | ajc.com
Charlotte shows state support for transit is vital | ajc.com

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by urbancharlotte

In all fairness to Atlanta, you guys were ahead of the game in the 70s with MARTA. Charlotte should have built light rail back in the early 90s instead of a first line in 2007. We have already ordered 4 more train cars due to higher than expected ridership. The station platforms are to short also. We really needed platforms capable of three car trains and not two. MARTA runs four car trains and six during special events and heavy commuting hours. I will say that I always find a seat when I ride MARTA. In Charlotte, I usually stand. We need larger trains.

The next line in Charlotte will have a GA 400 like feel to it. The trains will run in the median of North Tryon Street. This line will support 3 car trains. It will also have a station on UNC Charlotte's campus.

There are lots of develpments going on in Charlotte within the next 5 to 10 years. This is why I said that Charlotte will be in Atlanta's league within 20 years. Charlotte is making some quick moves right now. Population wise, Atlanta will remain larger.

I think the "A" is just not used to competition from within its own region. All I can say is get used to it. Charlotte is not trying to stop anytime soon!!! This city wants to be "World Class" and that is the unofficial goal here in Charlotte. You guys don't seem to understand that. The same vision Atlanta has, Charlotte has too!!! Atlanta is just 20 to 30 years ahead of the game. Nothing more, nothing less.

It has been said by our city council that the goal is to get 100,000 residents living in uptown by 2030. Downtown Atlanta is currently about 35,000 strong. Charlotte is reaching for things that Atlanta doesn't even have yet. With Charlotte's current mentality, it will catch Atlanta in status only, not size.

Now, I'm not saying all that...(see highlight above)


Atlanta is definitely use to competing. That's Atlanta's MO. Did you know that Atlanta and Birmingham were equal in stature, population, economic might, influence, etc. until about 1960?

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by urbancharlotte

Here are two links that answers your question

Charlotte transit plans leave Atlanta in slow lane | ajc.com
Charlotte shows state support for transit is vital | ajc.com

Good links.

[matt8325]

Originally Posted by aries4118

Now, I'm not saying all that...(see highlight above)


Atlanta is definitely use to competing. That's Atlanta's MO. Did you know that Atlanta and Birmingham were equal in stature, population, economic might, influence, etc. until about 1960?

I wonder how much Atlanta's airport contributed to Atlanta becoming such a major city while Birmingham was left behind ?

[DeaconJ]

So you think Atlanta will be standing still during this time? While Charlotte is moving forward and "becoming a world-class city", Atlanta will just have its feet stuck in the mud? No...Atlanta is moving ahead as well, but in a city Atlanta's size the projects and advancements aren't "big news" like they are in a medium sized city like Charlotte. Everything that happens in Charlotte is huge, but things are happening in Atlanta all the time - they are just everyday things to a big city. Charlotte will not pass Atlanta in anything...when Charlotte reaches Atlanta's current status (maybe 30 years) then Atlanta will be in another league and still far ahead of Charlotte.

Please don't compare your 9 mile LIGHT rail system with Marta. It's a comparison of 20,000 riders per day (which I'm not sure is an official number) with 276,000 riders per day. Again, not in the same league. The 36,000 residents of Downtown Atlanta - 3 years ago it was 20,000...don't think things aren't happening here - they are.

[Crazy Virgo Child]

Originally Posted by aries4118

But, Atlanta developed kind of differently from many other metros. The Atlanta+Hinterland as being all "Atlanta" is somewhat unique...and great!

Chicago also works in this way (Chicagoland anyone?).

In some ways, Atlanta is like a modern-day city-state.

I think it would actually hurt Atlanta if we started saying..."oh, no...that ain't Atlanta."

^^
I feel what your saying to a point, but Chicago is not the same way in terms of where people say their from. I was raised in Atlanta but my family is from and I was born in Chicago. Chicagoland is a term that WGN made popular and that was to make the people in NW Indiana and Southern Wisconsin feel apart of the city. People in Harvey, IL don’t say they are from Chicago, they say they are from Harvey, same with places like Aurora out west, Kenosha up north, and even out east over the state line in Lake, County, Indiana. Ask someone from Gary, IN or even East Chicago, IN where they are from and they won’t say Chicago but Gary or East Chicago respectively. Just in Atlanta do you have people who live 75 miles from the city but yet say they are from Atlanta, and I think its because people feel self-conscious that if they say their from Villa Rica then someone not from the region will label them country. Thats just my 2 cents on the matter, others might and probably will disagree

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by matt8325

I wonder how much Atlanta's airport contributed to Atlanta becoming such a major city while Birmingham was left behind ?

This is a post of mine from August...it should answer your question:


...Atlanta and Birmingham (until the mid 1950's) were of roughly equal-size, importance, and economic might.

The two cities' reactions to the Civil Rights Movement caused the southern airport hub, and northern business investment/relocations to happen in Atlanta (not Birmingham)...the rest is history. (And, it has been said that Birmingham was actually designated as a more desirable location for the airport hub since it is more centralized in the American South.)

(Now, it must be said as well...it wasn't as if Atlanta's white power/business elite was magically non-racist or something...they were just very pragamatic...they were businessmen...and the business of Atlanta is business! They didn't want any messy civil rights junk hurting their profits and progress.)

[johnatl]

While I think it's great that CATS got Charlotte's first Light Rail line up and running so quickly and that it's wildy successful, let's put things into perspective here.

As much as people complain about MARTA, we need to remember that we have 48 miles of track, over 270,000 daily riders and a direct one seat ride from the worlds busiest airport to four of the five largest business centers in this entire region of the country. This city has no direct peer for hundreds of miles in any direction. That folks, is hard to compete with.